On Sunday, May 1, FSU Law celebrated our newest graduates with a commencement ceremony and reception. This was an especially joyous occasion because, for the first time since 2019, we were able to hood our graduates in person with hugs and handshakes. During the ceremony, we celebrated more than 200 J.D., close to 100 J.M., and a dozen LL.M. graduates who displayed remarkable resilience throughout their time at FSU Law. The graduates heard words of encouragement from FSU President Richard D. McCullough, followed by an inspiring commencement speech by Judge Robert Luck, of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Judge Luck congratulated the graduates, their loved ones, and their educators. He urged graduates to reflect on their journeys to this momentous occasion, and spoke about the importance of service, professionalism, civility, and “taking time to smell the flowers.”

After the conferral of degrees, we presented a special memorial degree to the family of Daniel Taghdiri, a member of the graduating J.D. class who passed away unexpectedly in February after a battle with cancer. We also announced a scholarship, the Daniel E. Taghdiri Memorial Fund, created by Daniel’s family to honor his longstanding commitment to serving underserved communities. Also at the ceremony, we presented Professor Nat Stern with the 2022 Open Door Faculty Award, graduate Frank McGriggs with the inaugural Juris Master Leading the Way Award, and graduate Catherine Bauman with the 2022 Raising the Bar Award. Congratulations to our award recipients and all of our new alumni. We are looking forward to watching you soar!

Published on May 6, 2022